FANTASY FOOTBALL ARTICLES

Ease of Schedule - The Rest of the Season - Final Update David Dorey
November 2, 2005

This is a quick look at fantasy schedules given the defensive performances of the first eight weeks of the season.

Remember - this is purely a statistical review using the actual numbers from the first five weeks of the season. Whether or not you agree with which teams ended up as good or bad defenses, the numbers so far are real. For this time, I have broken down it down into Passing Schedules and Running Back Schedules. Initially I had separated wide receivers from tight ends but that is inaccurate given the diversity of how teams use the tight end (or don't). Once I combined those positions, they were almost a mirror to the quarterbacks. In past years, there was much more rushing by quarterbacks and receiving by running backs but both are down dramatically compared to only a few seasons ago. So, Passing Schedules cover just that - the entire passing game however teams elect to use their receivers.

Easy games are when a team faces a defense that is either in the top ten for allowing fantasy points (Easy) or in the top ten for preventing fantasy points (Tough). Each schedule is reviewed to determine the number of times it will be facing an "easy' or "tough" defense either in relation to the passing game or running backs.

Passing Schedules - Weeks 9 to 13

Tm

Easy
Games

Tough
Games

EOS
Rank

Tm

Easy
Games

Tough
Games

EOS
Rank

Tm

Easy
Games

Tough
Games

EOS
Rank

NYG

3

0

3

ARZ

2

2

0

NE

1

2

-1

NYJ

3

0

3

ATL

2

2

0

SF

1

2

-1

BUF

3

1

2

CLE

2

2

0

CAR

1

3

-2

CHI

3

1

2

IND

2

2

0

PIT

1

3

-2

DET

3

1

2

PHI

1

1

0

TEN

1

3

-2

MIA

2

0

2

TB

2

2

0

NO

1

4

-3

SEA

3

1

2

DAL

1

2

-1

SD

0

3

-3

WAS

3

1

2

DEN

1

2

-1

STL

0

3

-3

GB

3

2

1

HOU

2

3

-1

BAL

0

4

-4

KC

1

0

1

JAX

1

2

-1

CIN

0

5

-5

OAK

2

1

1

MIN

1

2

-1

Best Schedules

Worst Schedules

TM

9

10

11

12

13

BUF

BYE

KC

@SD

CAR

@MIA

CHI

@NO

SF

CAR

@TB

GB

DET

@MIN

ARZ

@DAL

ATL

MIN

MIA

ATL

NE

@CLE

@OAK

BUF

NYG

@SF

MIN

PHI

@SEA

DAL

NYJ

SD

@CAR

@DEN

NO

@NE

SEA

@ARZ

STL

@SF

NYG

@PHI

WAS

PHI

@TB

OAK

SD

@STL

TM

9

10

11

12

13

BAL

CIN

@JAX

PIT

@CIN

HOU

CIN

@BAL

BYE

IND

BAL

@PIT

NO

CHI

BYE

@NE

@NYJ

TB

SD

@NYJ

BYE

BUF

@WAS

OAK

STL

BYE

@SEA

ARZ

@HOU

WAS

For a look at how schedules could effect the vital fantasy playoff weeks, this is the breakdown for those weeks you cannot take a bad game from players and a great performance - that could mean a trophy is in your future. Remember too though - passing numbers in December are almost always among the lowest of the year thanks to weather and the presence of plenty of game film for teams to figure out offenses.

Passing Schedules - Weeks 14 to 16

Tm

Easy
Games

Tough
Games

EOS
Rank

Tm

Easy
Games

Tough
Games

EOS
Rank

Tm

Easy
Games

Tough
Games

EOS
Rank

STL

3

0

3

ARZ

1

1

0

CIN

0

1

-1

TB

3

0

3

BUF

1

1

0

DEN

0

1

-1

BAL

2

0

2

DET

1

1

0

HOU

1

2

-1

CHI

2

1

1

IND

1

1

0

MIN

1

2

-1

DAL

2

1

1

JAX

1

1

0

OAK

0

1

-1

KC

1

0

1

PHI

1

1

0

WAS

0

1

-1

MIA

2

1

1

PIT

1

1

0

ATL

0

2

-2

NO

2

1

1

SD

1

1

0

CLE

0

2

-2

NYG

2

1

1

SF

1

1

0

NE

0

2

-2

NYJ

1

0

1

TEN

0

0

0

GB

0

3

-3

SEA

2

1

1

CAR

0

1

-1

Best Schedules

Worst Schedules

TM

14

15

16

BAL

@DEN

GB

MIN

STL

@MIN

PHI

SF

TB

@CAR

@NE

ATL

TM

14

15

16

ATL

NO

@CHI

@TB

CLE

@CIN

@OAK

PIT

GB

DET

@BAL

CHI

NE

@BUF

TB

@NYJ

The next breakdown is for the running backs and considers not only rushing yards and scores, but also receiving yards and touchdowns as well. They are down from years past, but they are still significant to warrant inclusion. The following shows you which teams seem to have an easier - or tougher - track to making the fantasy playoff weeks.

Running Back Schedules - Weeks 9 to 13

Tm

Easy
Games

Tough
Games

EOS
Rank

Tm

Easy
Games

Tough
Games

EOS
Rank

Tm

Easy
Games

Tough
Games

EOS
Rank

MIA

4

0

4

CHI

2

2

0

SF

1

2

-1

KC

4

1

3

CLE

1

1

0

TB

1

2

-1

SEA

3

0

3

GB

1

1

0

TEN

2

3

-1

DET

3

1

2

NE

2

2

0

ATL

0

2

-2

IND

2

0

2

NYG

2

2

0

DAL

0

2

-2

JAX

3

1

2

STL

2

2

0

PHI

0

2

-2

SD

3

1

2

WAS

2

2

0

HOU

1

4

-3

MIN

1

0

1

DEN

2

3

-1

OAK

0

3

-3

ARZ

2

2

0

NO

2

3

-1

BUF

0

4

-4

BAL

1

1

0

NYJ

2

3

-1

CIN

0

4

-4

CAR

2

2

0

PIT

1

2

-1

Best Schedules

Worst Schedules

TM

9

10

11

12

13

DET

@MIN

ARZ

@DAL

ATL

MIN

IND

@NE

HOU

@CIN

PIT

TEN

JAX

HOU

BAL

@TEN

@ARZ

@CLE

KC

OAK

@BUF

@HOU

NE

DEN

MIA

ATL

NE

@CLE

@OAK

BUF

SD

@NYJ

BYE

BUF

@WAS

OAK

SEA

@ARZ

STL

@SF

NYG

@PHI

TM

9

10

11

12

13

BUF

BYE

KC

@SD

CAR

@MIA

CIN

@BAL

BYE

IND

BAL

@PIT

HOU

@JAX

@IND

KC

STL

@BAL

OAK

@KC

DEN

@WAS

MIA

@SD

Lastly, the ever important schedules for running backs when it matters the most. Those tailbacks are never more golden than the final weeks when they give the consistent, high point games that can spell the difference between the champion and the ... what's his name again?.... Oh man... who remembers second place anyway?